


Notice Me

by Emono



Category: Band of Brothers
Genre: Brotherly love all around, Canon-Typical Violence, Doc is OOC because I wanted to see him lose his shit, Epic kiss in front of the men, Episode - Bastogne, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Minor Violence, awkward Speirs trying to court cute doctor, but big gay feels between the good doc and Sparky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-23
Updated: 2016-10-23
Packaged: 2018-08-24 05:47:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,212
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8359519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emono/pseuds/Emono
Summary: Speirs and Roe share moments in Bastogne.---"I've heard the Easy men passing the term around. Cajun healers. A story from you, no doubt." He tilted his head back straight, snow falling from the lip of his helmet. "Traiteur. Is that what you are, Roe?""Eugene," he found himself saying.The shy lilt made Speirs frown."My name," Eugene clarified, feeling much like a schoolboy in front of the officer. “It’s Eugene.”





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Casey_Wolfe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Casey_Wolfe/gifts).



> This is Casey_Wolfe's fucking fault. DAMN YOU FOR THIS AND EVERYTHING THAT COMES AFTER IT. Also this is written with lots of respect for the real men and nothing I do/write is meant to offend or mar their memory or the service.

Eugene was quiet most of the time because he was always listening. He noticed things.

 

Speirs had a thousand yard stare. This Eugene noticed. He noticed a lot of things about Speirs. He was a good man, a good soldier. He had firm words for the men of Dog Company and strong shoulder clasps for jobs well done. There was reassurance in his unyielding, stalwart presence and any man who served under the lieutenant became fiercely loyal. Eugene admired that in Speirs. He was a bit of a slave driver but there were always results, and often with everyone alive.

 

Speirs never really spoke to Eugene in more than passing or politeness but every time there seemed to be an intensity hanging behind his words that couldn't quite be pinned down.There were often times that that thousand yard stare was aimed directly at Eugene. It was something he noticed Speirs doing back at Toccoa from across the camp.  Eugene had written it off as Speirs just being an intense and private man but it was something that kept happening. It wasn't exactly unsettling but every time Eugene caught eyes with the man, his breath hitched.

 

Growing up, Eugene had suppressed quite a bit of longing for both men and women. His parents had always watched him with sharp eagle eyes and he'd been afraid to experiment beyond a few hand holding moments and almost-kisses. They'd always told him God was watching and that he had to remain pure. He was later told that they had a "nice girl" lined up for him with one of the neighbors. It had been a terrifying aspect and one of the reasons he'd volunteered so fast to jump out of a plane.

 

Here in Germany, he'd seen the men cut out their morals. Slipping off with another soldier here was far less taboo than it was back home in Louisiana. And that was the only foothold he needed to indulge in a few fantasies and return Speirs stares.

 

The looks were less intrusive and more as if Speirs was trying to figure him out. Eugene found it strangely flattering that a man like the lieutenant would find  _ him  _ so interesting. Every encounter they had was brief but memorable. Eugene tried to conduct himself as unsuspiciously as possible but even Speirs was not immune to the Cajun's protective instincts when their companies brushed past each other after Normandy.

 

o0o

 

"Lieutenant!" Roe stalked up to the man that was lighting up a cigarette. He ignored the perplexed look that flashed across Roe’s handsome face as he was grabbed by the jacket and turned side to side, being looked over critically. Roe was going down the line of men from Easy to check for untreated wounds and Speirs had been unlucky enough to be in his war path. "Are you wounded?"

 

Speirs leveled a stare at him, smoke curling lazily from his lips.

 

"I asked you a question!" Roe snapped, squinting at the war paint slathered all over the man's throat. "Have. You. Been. Hit?" He winced a little at the harshness of his own words. " _ Sir _ ."

 

"No, Doc," Speirs promised, plucking the cigarette from his mouth with an amused glint in his eye. "I'm fine."

 

"And  _ this _ ?" Roe shocked himself as he grabbed the man by the chin and turned his head, staring at the stitched wound on his face. "What the hell kind of slapdash job is this? What kind of medics are you running in that company of yours?  _ Actual  _ dogs? I haven't seen a clumsier hand since Malark's last card game."

 

The lieutenant's lips twitched.

 

"Sloppy is what it is," Roe muttered, quickly drawing back his hand. "If I'd have done it you would've healed up without a lick of a mark. Field triage be damned."

 

"I know," Speirs replied simply.

 

Roe wasn't sure what he was going to say but it was gone when he heard Luz shout for him. He left Speirs to his staring and went to his boys. They needed him.

 

o0o

 

Bastogne was an icy wilderness. Roe felt like he was trapped in a snowglobe but the discoloration around his nails and the sharpness that came with each breath reminded him that he was far from home or the luxury of such items. He stumbled through the snow, going from foxhole to foxhole, with a quick efficiency that kept his blood pumping.

 

Except this time he wasn't so efficient.

 

Eugene had gone off on his own to look for the Third Battalion in need for more medical supplies. But somehow he'd gotten turned around somewhere between his foxhole and the line. His steps slowed as he realized that he wasn’t hitting the markers he should've been. There was a certain tree with a carving that would be just a little ways off from the lookout line for Third, but there was no one. Just more fog, more snow, more bone chilling coldness. He stopped dead when he heard the crunch of boots in snow. Panic fluttered into his heart and he backed up, hands buried deep in his jacket and head ducked as he strikingly realized he was helpless with no weapon.

 

Maybe his red cross would save him but there was no mercy in war, no pass-overs.

 

Eugene's back hit a tree and he sank into a low crouch. He shivered and his breath came in cloudy puffs as he prepared to die. He expected more terror, more fear, maybe even more calm, but the cold numbed him all the way down to the core. The shadow of a person came through the fog and he didn't even flinch.  _ This is as good as time as any to go. God I hope it’s not a kid. _

 

The outline became familiar and he slumped into the trunk. American. He saw the round helmet, the rifle line, the flounce of his pants - maybe a paratrooper. And then the figure he got close enough to him to really see it.  _ Speirs _ . The lieutenant walked towards him with an easy grace, despite the heft of the snow. Flakes swirled around him and stuck to his raven hair, the broad line of his shoulders, and even to his bare hands.  His expression was the same hard, neutral expression as it always was but the winter wood made him almost ethereal.

 

Roe would swear on a stack of bibles he was looking at an old, forgotten god simply stalking his territory.

 

Speirs came straight to him and Roe watched, curious, a little unsure when the man squatted down in front of him. The lieutenant said nothing but he moved his rifle to the side to dig inside his side bag.

 

"Sir?" Eugene asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the man. There were a lot of questions to be asked but he was just curious to see what would happen. Speirs pulled a tin box out of the satchel and presented it to him with a little nod. When Roe didn't take it right away the box was pointedly shaken. Eugene gave a confused smile as he took it between his own hands. The tin was warm from being close to Speirs' body but not for long. He flipped the latch and gasped as he opened it up.

 

Morphine. At least forty surettes mostly untouched.

 

"I found this," Speirs stated plainly, nodding to the box again. "Thought you could use it."

 

"Sir," Eugene breathed in disbelief, fingertips brushing the tops of the packets. Something swelled in his chest and he looked up into the officer's face, mouth agape and tongue dumb in gratefulness. "Doesn't...doesn't your company need this more, sir?"

 

"We're set. The medic who had this doesn't need it anymore," Speirs replied vaguely. "It's all yours now."

 

Eugene touched the edges of the surettes again with awe. He'd been scrounging for so long that to see so much morphine in front of him was an overwhelming relief. He made himself shut the lid but jumped when a hand laid over his own. Both of them were chilled and Speirs' fingers over his own were sharp, stinging. Roe winced but didn't pull away. He wasn't sure he could with the way Speirs was staring at him with such  _ intent  _ and his hand blanketed his own.

 

" _ Traiteurs _ ."

 

Speirs so rarely said anything so the small word packed with so much  _ accent  _ made Eugene gape again. His eyes darted all over the man's face for some kind of context but there was nothing but an earnest but expectant look. "I'm sorry, sir...?"

 

Speirs head tipped to the side in a way that reminded Roe of an intelligent dog. "I'm not uncultured, Doc. I can hear where you're from, I've seen what you can do."

 

"I'm just surprised you know the word, sir." He tacked on the title as an afterthought, trying to remember who he was talking to.

 

"I've heard the Easy men passing the term around. Cajun healers. A story from you, no doubt." He tilted his head back straight, snow falling from the lip of his helmet. " _ Traiteur _ . Is that what you are, Roe?"

 

"Eugene," he found himself saying.

 

The shy lilt made Speirs frown.

 

"My name," Eugene clarified, feeling much like a schoolboy in front of the officer. “It’s Eugene.”

 

"Gene," Speirs repeated slowly before he smiled. Eugene felt something tender bloom in his chest as he saw it. The curve of Speirs' lips was soft, and he'd never seen it before. There had been some smiles before, yes, but this one felt special. It was rare,  _ sweet _ . He felt like he was seeing something no one else had and he wanted to protect it.

 

"You should get out of here," Speirs commented, still smiling and content to watch the play of emotion over the medic's face. "You're past the line."

 

Roe swallowed a few times to find his voice, the cold parching his throat. "What are you doing here here, sir?"

 

Speirs winked at him, that smile curling up further into a heated smirk. "Watching out for pretty boy healers wandering too far."

 

"Are you flirting with me?" Eugene bleated in shock, the words startled out of him. He blushed madly as he heard his own frazzled statement and quickly slapped a hand over his mouth. He'd never said anything so brazen in his life and he wondered if he'd get laughed at or punched first. Nerves crackled through him but nothing happened.

 

Speirs reached up and patted his cheek. Roe's hand fell down into his lap and he got another pat on the helmet.

 

"Back to Easy, Gene. They need you."

 

When Eugene wandered back into Easy's camp he got a lot of worried comments. They must have seen on his face what he felt inside. A mix of astonishment, desire, uncertainty, disappointment. But he got himself back to his foxhole and cooled off, gathered himself, and then went back out to check on his men.

 

o0o

 

Eugene was helpless. He was often helpless in the physical sense - limited combat training, no gun, only armed with a small bowie knife on his belt that he mostly used for cutting boot laces and belts to get to wounds. He watched in blatant horror as his men were picked off one by one under Dike’s cowardly lead. Even from the relative safety of the treeline he could see the Lieutenant had stopped most of the men out in the open with only flimsy carts and hay to protect them from the rain of bullets. Eugene couldn’t see the blood but at this point he could feel the loss of souls with every tumbled body. He was a medic but he would never be used to death, to losing men.

 

Especially not like this.

 

“This is a slaughter!” Eugene declared in the first whips of a panic. His chest was tight and it wasn’t the cold making his fingers tremble. Every breath was a struggle as his feet took him forward, boots crunching through the snow. His friends were out there  _ dying _ . He'd lost so many already and he couldn't bare another. Toye, Guarnere, too many to count and every face flashed behind his eyes as he watched the battle unfold. How many were already dead out there? Lipton and his kind eyes, his lopsided smile. Peconte and his fidgety fingers, his amusing quirks. Luz and that mouth. Liebgott, Foley, Bull, Muck, so many he'd have to declare dead and mark for shipment by the end of this.

 

“This...this…”

 

Dick was too busy on the phone to see Roe walk past him and through the treeline. The medic dragged his feet but they quickly started to pick up the pace. He had to get out there, he had to help. There were wounded who would die without immediate treatment, he had to hurry. Someone yelled his name, several someones, but the moment he broke into a run he was swept up in a pair of strong arms.

 

"Let me go!" Eugene barked, kicking up snow as he struggled against the hold. "They need me!"

 

"We need you right here, kiddo." It was Nix's voice in his ear, warm and sweet like honey tea. Roe turned in the circle of his arms and glared but it weakened when he saw the resigned look etched across the officer's face. "There's nothing we can do. Dick's doing everything he can."

 

"Well he's not doing  _ enough _ ." Eugene pushed past him and crunched through the snow right back up to Winters. The XO was shouting orders into the radio but quickly abandoned it, obviously not being heard. "Captain, you need to do something."

 

"Doc, I'm  _ trying _ ," Winters pleaded, voice frazzled with frustration.

 

"You aren't trying hard enough!" Roe barked in his face, shoving an accusatory finger in his chest. "You are in charge of these men and they are being picked off. They are looking to you to keep them safe and you are standing here doing nothing to stop that man from getting them all killed!"

 

Dick's face was pained and he almost felt bad.  _ Almost _ . "Doc-"

 

"They are your friends!" Eugene spat, accent so thick it was choking him. "They are your men, your family, and you threw them to the dogs when you knew that man wasn't fit to lead them. You should be ashamed, Richard Winters.  _ Ashamed _ ." He shoved the XO with a sneer of disgust. "The blood is on your hands here."

 

Eugene stored away, shoulder smacking off Nixon's as he passed the man to take his spot again. With every step his rage faded into anguish. He crossed his arms over his chest and drew in on himself, watching as more men were picked off by German bullets. A sob shook past his lips and his facade crumbled to pieces. He ran his hands over his face and all the time he spent in Bastogne hit him in one swift punch. Renee, the wounded, the chill of the foxholes and the warm sludge of blood going up to his wrists. Tears soaked his palms as he trembled there in the snow with no way to protect his friends.

 

He could sew up their bullet wounds but when they died halfway through what was even the point?

 

"My boys," he cried into his hand, tears chilling in his lashes as he watched more men fall. "God h-help...help them, save them." He raked his fingers through his hair and knocked off his helmet, a frustrated scream building in his throat. "My  _ boys _ !"

 

Listening to the normally calm and collected Doc Roe release an anguished wail hit the battalion right in the heart. Even those who didn't know the medic well felt acute heartache as the man finally broke. Winters in particular. His jaw hardened and he slung his rifle around to the front, charging forward with every intent to lead the Easy men forward himself. He'd almost reached Roe when Sink's infuriated shout hit his ears.

 

"Dick!  _ Dick _ ! Captain Winters!" Dick's boots slid in the snow as he came to a sudden stop. "God damn it, you do  _ not  _ go out there! You are the Battalion Commander, now get back here!" Dick looked to Roe then back to the men being killed, and beat a reluctant retreat. He grit his teeth and trudged back but his mind was far from quiet. "Dick, I know your attachment to Easy Company but-"

 

"Speirs! Get yourself over here!" Dick barked over Sink's empty consolence, whipping past his superior and looking out to the scatter of men. Speirs produced himself promptly, jogging up with a neutral expression and stopping before the Captain. Dick gave him little time to catch a breath. "Go out there and relieve Dike and take that attack on end."

 

There wasn't a nod or a word or much more than a blink, just blind obedience. Speirs ran promptly towards the battle, past the treeline, but he astounded everyone when he slowed near Roe.

 

Eugene saw Speirs and the command Winters had given finally registered in his mind. He reached out and desperately clawed his fingers in the man's sleeve, making him stop. " _ Ron _ . Ron, for God's sake." He fisted the man's shirt and a fresh batch of tears rolled down his cheeks. Speirs expression remained unchanged and Roe felt his lip quiver in hopeless need. "Save ‘em."

 

Speirs stepped forward and his rifle was dropped, falling to his side and hanging limply by the strap. Eugene's brow pinched and his lips quirked in a thoughtful frown as the man reached out for him. They'd never touched despite the strangely intimate dance between them and he felt something strange as pale fingers reached for him. He wasn't sure what was going on and he breathed the man's name, scared, excited, and confused.

 

The world stopped spinning. The snow grew still and the noise faded out to just two heartbeats. Speirs splayed a hand on Roe's lower back and the other cupped his nape, fingertips easing through the black silk of his hair. Eugene fell into the man's hold with an easy swoon, back and legs bowing in a graceful arc as he followed the insistent pressure. Speirs did not ask permission with his hands but the sweetness of his lips eased his assertive, bold move. Their mouths were chapped from so little water and too much chill but that did not make it any less tender.

 

Eugene sucked in a quiet breath as the kiss swamped his senses. All those worried thoughts came to a standstill as he let himself simply feel. Speirs ( _ Ron _ ) was warm against him when so few things had been the past few months. He was solid and firm where Roe knew himself to be lean. They slotted together perfectly even though the bulk of their uniforms. There was a brief flash of tongue before Roe all too willingly parted his lips. He was tasted only briefly before Ron pulled away, breaking clean. The second the hands were gone he craved them back. His nape and lower back felt a fresh, deep chill without the man's touch.

 

Ron's expression was softer now. He was looking at Eugene in that rare, sweet way he'd caught him looking when they were alone. There were a thousand unspoken words between them but Eugene could only think of two words to say.

 

"Save ‘em."

 

Ron nodded and slung back up his rifle. Then he was gone.

 

Eugene touched his lips with shaky fingers as he slid down into the snow. He could feel it soak into his pants but his mind was filled with  _ RonRonRonSaveThem.  _ He watched Speirs run into the fray and dissolve into the slew of men still alive. There was a flurry of activity before the squads started moving forward like they had originally planned.

 

Someone knelt behind him and a hand curled around his shoulder. "Wanna' come back here with us, Doc?"

 

Roe nodded and silently leaned into Nixon. It was dangerous out in the open and his boys would need him soon.

 

o0o0o0o

 

"Lieutenant Speirs? Lieutenant Speirs?" Roe grabbed any dark haired soldier by the arm and turned them, frowning as he was met with the wrong faces and no answers. "Has anyone seen Speirs? God damn it now, someone tell me where the officers are!"

 

Ken Webb stopped at his bellow and pointed him in the right direction. "A lot of the fellows are over showing off for the cameras so the XO and everyone headed over by that building. Lip's the other way though helping with the prisoners."

 

Roe patted Web on the back before heading toward the few huddled men. Nixon, Winters, Speirs, he could see them conversing with smoky breath floating between them. They were shielded by another building in case of stray bullets but they were far from out of the public eye. Roe didn't care. He stomped over to them with a single minded determination and a smolder in his belly from more than righteous anger. He had heard the story of what Speirs had done to hook up with I Company. He was a strange mix of furious and proud.

 

But that didn't stop Eugene from marching right up to Speirs and smacking him so hard his helmet fell to the broken cobblestone street. Speirs head whipped to the sid and his eyes were comically wide. For once his soldier training didn't kick in and he simply blinked dumbly at his commanding officers. Nixon let out an amused bark but quickly covered his grinning mouth with his hand while Winters simply stared with quiet wonder.

 

"What the hell's the matter with you?" Eugene snapped heatedly, shoving a finger in his chest like he'd done to Winters but with much more force. "You ran across a damn enemy minefield and then  _ back _ ? You got a death wish?"

 

Speirs opened his mouth but the Cajun kept going in that hot, speedy scold with the accent dripping thick in a way that made the Lieutenant's blood run hot.

 

"You ever think for one moment that Easy has a good officer in you and you just gambled that? If we'd lost you and gained another Dike, where would we be then?" Roe paused with a tongue click, eyebrows raised as if he were waiting for an answer. Nixon was the one to draw in a breath to speak this time but the medic kept going. "No, you didn't! You didn't think! Up God-damned shit creek without a proper paddle is where we'd be. Reckless."

 

The word shot out like a spike but the blow didn't fall quite as sharp as intended.

 

Eugene grabbed him by the the back of the hair and dragged him into a kiss so harsh their teeth clacked. Ron grunted and quickly softened it up, giving in to the medic's grip and letting himself be kissed so consumingly. For such a small man, Eugene packed a lot of intensity and for one of the first times in his life he surrendered to it. Nixon cleared his throat to try and break it up but Eugene broke the kiss only when  _ he _ was satisfied.

 

Ron groaned as sharp teeth dragged over his lower lip as the kiss ended. He stared at the medic and his depthless eyes and his heart jumped up into his throat. He opened his mouth but words were gone. He got so tongue tied around Eugene and even when it was so important now he couldn't find something to say.

 

"You don't just kiss me and run off into gunfire," Roe growled, tugging his hair before he dropped his hand. "Has a medic looked you over yet?" He didn't give the officer a chance to reply before he looked to Winters. "Has someone looked him over, sir?"

 

"No, Doc, no one," Winters tattled, lips quirking in a smile when Nixon full on laughed for the first time in days. Speirs shot him a harsh look but it was wiped away when Roe snagged him by the belt and dragged him back to one of the largest chunks of rubble. Winters and Nixon followed suit and sat down to continue their strategy talk while Speirs got fussed over.

 

Eugene didn't have time to be embarrassed or think too hard about the consequences of his actions as he looked over every inch of Speirs. He checked every clothing tear and blood splotch for a wound but his quick fingers thankfully found nothing. He retrieved the lieutenant's helmet and placed it in the man's waiting hands before continuing his check.

 

"Clear. Don't know how, but clear," Roe announced with a relieved sigh, sitting back on his heels. The adrenaline was fading and he wiped the back of his hand over his forehead, helmet tipping back. "No wounds, sir."

 

"Gene?" the quiet call of his name made his weary gaze snap up to attention. Warm hazel eyes were gazing at him with fond amusement, full lips turned up in that rare smile. "Are you okay?"

 

"M-Me?" Eugene flustered, bravado gone under the weight of that look. "I'm fine, sir. I was out of the line of fire."

 

"I heard you were ready to run in after us," Ron pointed out, voice still quiet even as Nixon shot a knowing grin between them. "If we'd lost you, Gene? Then where would the men be?" He reached out and straightened Eugene's helmet, knuckles drifting down to brush his cheek. "Where would Easy be without their own personal  _ traiteur _ ?"

 

Eugene blushed a charming scarlet and Ron's smile turned predatory. It was enough for Winters to more firmly clear his throat.

 

"Gentlemen, I think this conversation is private."

 

"Sir," Speirs acknowledged, though he did not look away from the flustered medic.

 

" _ Boys _ ."

 

They both startled out of their daze and looked to their XO with pink in their cheeks. "Sir!"

 

One gun shot.  _ Two _ . "Sniper!"

 

Eugene  _ woofed  _ out a breath as he was caught around the middle and thrown onto the ground. A solid, warm weight covered him and the sunlight disappeared as his head was shoved into someone's chest. Not just anyone though.  _ Ron _ . Ron was shielding him, crushing him between the rubble and his own body. The man's arm was curled around the back of his head, helmet digging painfully into his forehead and vision filled with army olive. He clung to Ron, fear shooting up his throat as he heard more shots go off.

 

It felt like an eternity before he heard the all-clear call.

 

Speirs reluctantly let go of him and Eugene got a fresh breath of air, wincing at the cold and immediately missing the smothering warmth. The man pushed up on his elbows and gave him a crooked grin. It made Eugene blush again and he hated how easy the man could effect him. 

 

“Gene?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I’m flirting with you.”

 

Roe rolled his eyes. “Well thank God ‘cause I thought you’d stole my first kiss in front of God and the men for  _ fun _ .”

 

Ron’s flirty smirk faded to an  _ oh  _ of surprise. It was starting to become a theme between them - shocking one another. “First?”

 

“Don’t act so surprised,” Eugene muttered, squirming in the gravel. “Can you let me up now? There are wounded to still tend to.” 

 

“Yeah, Sparky, let the kid up,” Nixon teased, arm slung around Winters as they watched the two. “Unless you’re going to start selling tickets…?”

 

Speirs jumped to his feet and Nixon laughed at the embarrassed pink dusting the man’s cheeks. 

 

“This is priceless, Dick.”

 

“Leave the boys alone, Nix.”

 

Nixon snorted and gave his friend a shake. “Fat chance.”

 

o0o

 

Eugene could hear his name and Speirs being thrown around among the men. He kept to himself and helped where he could to get the company ready to take Hagenau. The wounded would be taken to proper aid stations so he made sure they were marked right, injuries double checked and assurances doled out. He'd resupplied himself and the other medics, stowing everything he could find, including herbs, so a situation like Bastogne would never happen again.

 

"No, guys, I saw it!" Muck declared loudly while Roe tucked himself behind the column of the nearest building, keeping out of sight. The guys were laughing and his throat was closing up, worry stinging his heart. He loved these men, his boys, and he couldn't stand the thought of them mocking him for the love he felt for Speirs. The word  _ love  _ made him blush to himself, ducking down into the collar flaps of his jacket. Whatever was between them was new and fragile but heartbreakingly sweet. He didn't want the men to make fun of it.

 

"It was the most romantic thing I'd ever seen! No, fuck you, it  _ was _ ."

 

Eugene perked up and looked around the crumbling column, frowning.  Muck was telling the story to a lot of the guys with a big grin and flailing arms.

 

"Guys, listen!" Muck pleaded. "I was right there! Doc was ready to grab a fucking gun and come in blazin' hot but Winters made him back up and he sent  _ Speirs _ ."

 

"No freakin' way," Luz drawled. "Not Doc."

 

"Really! And Speirs was like - well, I mean, fuck. Come here, Malark."

 

Malarky yelped as he was snagged by the wrist and dragged into a parody of the way Eugene remembered Speirs grabbing him. A hand at the nape, at the dip of the back, with one smooth motion. Roe gaped as Muck kissed Malarky in the way Ron kissed him, though strained because he was trying so hard. It looked...sweet, intimate, even with the way Malark's eyes were wide and his hands were fluttering around in shock.

 

Muck smacked his lips as the kiss ended and he shook his friend with both hands. "He kissed him just like that! Full on the mouth in front of Sink and God and everyone!  _ Kissed  _ him! It was  _ literally  _ out of a storybook."

 

"Literally," Liebgott mocked, though his ears were red. "So he just kissed him? Just like that?"

 

"I knew there was something going on," Penkala confirmed. "They were always giving each other these  _ looks _ , 'ya know? Speirs was doing the looking but  _ still _ . It had to be something. Doc doesn't get close to anyone like that. Well, except Babe."

 

Roe hid his smile at the way Babe blushed. "Hey!"

 

"So, Babe?" Liebgott asked seriously, cutting through the humor of the group. The others looked to him with pursed lips and tensed shoulders. "Is that how one seduces Speirs? Drop into enemy foxholes or tells the Company XO to fuck off and do his job?"

 

Roe was the one who laughed the loudest and they all looked to him, guilty at being caught. His laugh kept going until he was downright giggling, hunching over himself and clutching his sides. The boys eventually joined him, grateful that the doc had a sense of humor to it.

 

"So Doc?" Liebgott called playfully. "Which is it that turns him on the most?"

 

Across the way, Lipton felt a bolt of worry when he saw Doc Roe fall over into the street but he relaxed when he heard the deep, rich laughter coming from their medic. "These boys. For goodness sake."   

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
